ok, so i go to run... - cmd - ipconfig the followingin bold is basically what my command prompt window looks like.
C:\Documents and Settings\Kyle>ipconfig
Windows IP Configuration
An internal error occurred: A device attached to the system is not functioning.
Please contact Microsoft Product Support Services for further help.
Additional information: Unknown media status code.
Usually, when my computer is healthy, it would display a message (either an error if it was not enable or an IP address if it was) for both my ethernet and wireless. Now, as you can see, it's one giant error message. (ipconfig /all, /release, /renew, etc don't work either.) I've tried everything I can think of. My anti-virus and anti-spyware is completely up-to-date and have run scans of both. I have run and installed all Windows and IBM updates. I've uninstalled and reinstalled all network drivers. I've ran winsockfix. Info: My OS is Windows XP, IBM T42 laptop (need other info, just ask). Needless to say, my internet does work, because I was able to make this post, but my wireless cuts out a lot more often than convenient. Usually I'm on top of this kinda stuff, but this one has really got me. Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
p.s. dunno if this will help, but i forgot to mention: 1. i had updated the firmware on my router. 2. all the other computers on the network work fine.
does your router assign ip addresses automaticly, if so turn this off then try mess with the ip config, this means you would have to manually configure every ip on the network though
response to #3: check and check. response to #4: yea, i set it up that way. and my computer is pulling an ip address, A. i'm on the internet, B. i can check my IP through windows, and its there. the problem is that ipconfig doesn't work, and my wireless disconnects a lot (it always sits there in attempts of "assigning an IP address").
So, your connection works just fine hardwire (not wireless), but your ipconfig doesn't work? That's really weird. Only time I've ever seen ipconfig not work is when the drivers for the network card aren't installed...
Check some other related functions, like ping, tracert, nbtstat, net send, and netstat. See if they all still work, or if you come across something weird. (You can use a /? to get the syntax for each of them) If you don't see anything weird, you might just need a new copy of ipconfig.exe. It's not much... but it's all I got.
response to #6: yea, i had done all that response to #7: yea, hardwire works. wireless works, but cuts out a lot. ipconfig works when hardwired. i had the drivers installed. see next message for answer on ur drivers thing. response to #8: yea, it works. when i got that error message in command prompt it still says "Windows IP Configuration" at the top, so it recognizes the command just fine. response to #9: yea, ipconfig worked fine when it was hardwired and wireless disabled, and when it was both hardwired and wirelessly connected. it was just when it was only wireless that i had the problem.
so i figured out the problem. the great almighty microsoft had given me a set of bad drivers in Windows Update. i found this purely by trial and error. i had already had the right drivers installed (and updated), but i also had the ones microsoft gave me in windows update. so the bad drivers were conflicting with the good ones. i greatly appreciate everyone's help.
That advice isn't very good. A lot of security flaws are addressed between service packs. The vulnerability that led to the Blaster Worm is one such, and it was a good year and a half after that before SP2 came out.
Better advice would be "don't trust Windows update blindly." Do get the security patches, and read the descriptions for everything else to decide if you want them.
dude, not all patches are new programs. and aren't drivers loaded as needed (unless set in start up options)? and the other patches don't slow the computer down any more than having an extra mp3 sitting on ur hard drive.
The reason each one slows the computer down in turn is because they're applied on top of each other, instead of doing their "patch" to the file and making a new system file. It's all very fucked up.
More than likely the DLL is just replaced. So cut the elitist crap.
No kidding. Every thread this Falcon guy's been in, he's convinced of his omniscience. I find it easier just to let him think he's smart and go on my way. I mean, really... he works in a frickin server farm. He watches pretty lights all day and occasionally has to connect a network cable. I wouldn't call that "all-knowing".
In reply to icehcky8:
Glad you got your problem solved. I agree with Wizbang2, though. WU is important for security patches, but the drivers aren't necessarily the newest or best ones for your system. If you think you need a driver update, check the manufacturer's website. The drivers on WU are just the ones that have gone through Microsoft's certification testing, and are sometimes three or four versions behind the ones with your new hardware.
i was kinda thinkin that, but who am i to burst his bubble. i just rather let him get on with life. and yea, i've learned my lesson. i had always gotten updates from MS and IBM. i think i'll stick to just IBM ones unless they're security updates or i can tell the driver version. i'll say this much though. after not only using Windows, but fixing it for my job, for 3 years, i'm ready to go back to my good old Mac OS X
